.png)
Have you ever felt overwhelmed by having too many genealogy sources? Truthfully, I haven't. However, for many genealogists, the dream of uncovering rich details about an ancestor can quickly become a paralysis-inducing problem.
Suppose you're fortunate enough to be surrounded by old letters, diaries, multiple-page records, and a plethora of photos. Do you feel too much pressure when attempting to write a family story? You may find yourself asking:
What should you include?
How do you decide which stories matter most?
Is it okay to leave something out?
The fear of making the wrong choices often stops us in our tracks, leaving those stories unwritten, as seems to be the case for one viewer. But it doesn't have to be that way. With the right approach, you can transform the mountains of genealogy sources you once said were "too much" into a non-boring family history that future generations will cherish. (Oh, and I will be jealous of you because you had so much initial information. But I digress.)
The Challenge of Having Too Many Genealogy Sources
In response to the video "The Challenge of Using RootsMagic to Write a Narrative," Cynthia, a two-year subscriber, raised an issue many genealogists wish they had. She wrote:
"One challenge I've had is the 'too much information' on a person. I am a lucky person dabbling in genealogy because I inherited boxes and boxes of family correspondence. From this, I get wonderful insights about an ancestor, their immediate family, their neighbors, the town gossip, opinions about church policies, and who are the bad cooks who bring food for the socials. There are big gaps in time, and then many letters covering only a few years. Then the boxes offer correspondence from another family member and another time. I'm seeing diamonds in the rough, and I have only a few tools for polishing this info into good stories for the unknown reader of the future. What ideas might you have for this situation?"
Sound familiar? If you've inherited a wealth of genealogical treasures but don't know how to transform them into a cohesive story, you're not alone.
Family History Writing Paralysis by Too Much Choice
Too much information can leave us paralyzed. Cynthia's "diamonds in the rough" sounds exciting, but can you feel her sense of overwhelm?
More importantly, can you relate?
Let me show you how to overcome this problem and turn "too much" into a finished genealogy book.
Step 1: Build a Framework
Every great family history starts with a solid outline that will serve as your framework for adding the 'too much' information.
Begin with a simple timeline of your ancestor's life—think of it like their profile on a genealogy website or software. In my video, "How to Write 3X Faster - Timelines for Family History Books", I explained how timelines can double as your story outline.
You'll expand your outline using the tips I shared in the video "The Easiest Way to Write Family Histories."
Leveraging your timeline, write a preliminary story for each event in your ancestor's life based on basic records: census data, vital records, city directories, and land deeds. Focus on these foundational documents before you dive into the more detailed sources like letters or diaries.
Then stop here before moving on to the step where you would add social history and fun facts. The result is a rough draft that is anxiously awaiting to receive the additional sources you have access to.
Step 2: Inventory What You Have
Once you have the initial framework and again before you add social context, you'll want to inventory what you have.
For Cynthia, this might look like:
"Insights about an ancestor" = 30 anecdotes:
15 about the ancestor directly
10 about their social circle from their perspective
5 about their social circle from other narrators
"Many letters covering only a few years" = 40 letters
20 from 1919–1922
5 from 1928
5 from 1938
10 from 1940–1945
Categorize the material by topic, event, or time period without extracting the specific stories. Your inventory is like a bulleted list that you arrange so that you can refer back to the originals and pull out what you need when you're ready to write. It's a way to visualize what you have before haphazardly or overzealously, start adding bonus content.
Step 3: Consider Multiple Projects
For lengthy sources like letters or diaries, it might be best to create a separate publication. In my video "How to Preserve Old Family Letters - Two Methods," I shared how you can preserve and publish family letters as stand-alone projects.
By doing this, you can focus on highlights in your ancestor's main narrative without losing the richness of the source material.
↪️ Do you want to write a family history book?
Grab your copy of this FREE Writing Guide:
Step 4: Use an Appendix for Lengthy Documents
For records that don't warrant their own project—like Civil War pensions or lengthy probate files—consider including these in an appendix. Pull only the most relevant details into your main story and save the complete documents for those who want to dive deeper.
Step 5: Shape the Story Arc
Once you've built the framework and inventoried your sources, consider the arc of your ancestor's story. Is it a journey of perseverance, like my ancestor Joseph Geiszler, or a "rags-to-riches-to-rags" tale, like my great-grandfather Sherman Brown?
In the video "How to Add Action to a Family Story," I discuss common story arcs that make your writing less boring. Don't force your ancestor's stories into an arc. Themes often emerge naturally based on the timeline and available records.
Once you identify one, you can adjust the structure of your narrative away from the chronological format to the thematic for added impact.
Step 6: Add Social Context (Optional)
Finally, enhance your story with social history to anchor it in time and place. Can your readers picture the events, people, and settings you describe? If not, add context to help them visualize.
For example, if your ancestor lived through the Great Depression, share details about how their town was affected.
Or did they attend church socials? Include a fun fact about community gatherings and religious views at the time.
For more tips on family history writing, be sure to check out the related videos available on the Write Your Family History YouTube Channel.
Finally, Publish and Share
When your story is complete, don't let it sit on your hard drive. Publish it and share it with your family, local archives, or historical societies. For tips on preserving your work, watch my video "When You've Written a Family History, Watch This."
Embrace Your "Too Much" As a Family History Treasure
Having abundant information might feel overwhelming, but it's a blessing in disguise. The harder challenge is often having 'too little.' By following these steps, you can turn that mountain of material into a story that inspires and connects future generations.
If you have questions about how to incorporate specific sources, let me know. I'd be happy to help you on your writing journey.
